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A BRIEF RECORD OF 
THE ARMY LIFE OF 
CHARLES B. AMORY 




L* U A. 




A BRIEF RECORD 

of the 

ARMY LIFE 

CHARLES B.AMORY 



Written for 
His Children 



PRIVATELY PUBLISHED 
M D C C C C I I 



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.A5Z 



THE Presidential Campaign of i860 was 
a most exciting one. The people of the 
South were very much afraid that if the 
Republican Party was successful in electing Mr. 
Lincoln, the institution of slavery would be in 
great danger, and their leading men openly de- 
clared in case he was elected, the Slave States 
would secede from the Union and war must be 
the result. 

When the election took place and Lincoln 
was made President, people prepared for war and 
the young men of the North began joining militia 
companies and learning the duties of soldiers. 
I joined the New England Guard Battalion, as in 
this organization were many of my friends. 

In the Spring of 1861, the Battalion, under 
command of Maj. Thos. G. Stevenson, was ordered 
to garrison Fort Independence in Boston Harbor 
and I went with it. The command was at the 



Fort for about a month and during that time we 
were subjected to the severest military discipline, 
and when we returned to Boston and marched 
up State Street, people declared we were the 
best drilled body of militia that ever paraded 
through Boston's streets. Almost every man of 
this command became a commissioned officer 
early in the War of the Rebellion. I myself was 
commissioned by Governor Andrew as ist Lieu- 
tenant in Co. F (Capt. Robert F. Clark) of the 
24th Massachusetts Volunteers, on the 2d of 
September, 1861. The Colonel of the 24th was 
Thos. G. Stevenson, the former Major of the 
New England Guard Battalion, a born soldier, 
and a splendid specimen of a man in every way. 
The line officers of the regiment were selected 
by him and were mostly members of the 4th 
Battalion. We went into camp at Readville, 
some ten miles south of Boston, about the mid- 
dle of September; and during the next three 
months the officers were engaged in recruiting 
the regiment and drilling the recruits. Our 
ranks were completed by the ist of December 
and on the 9th we were embarked on cars and 



began our journey to the seat of war. Our first 
resting-place was at Annapolis, Maryland, where 
we found we were to be one of the thirty or 
more regiments who were to compose General 
Burnside's expedition. We formed a part of 
Gen. Jno. G. Foster's Brigade, the other regi- 
ments of the brigade being the 23d, 25th and 
27th Massachusetts and the 10th Connecticut. 
The month of January was passed in camp near 
Annapolis and our time was occupied in drills 
and reviews and in target practice. Many of 
our rank and file were green country lads, who 
had never fired a gun ; but they became a finely 
disciplined body of men and the regiment had 
the reputation early in the war of being one 
of the very finest that Massachusetts had sent 
to the war. 

Towards the end of January General Burn- 
side's troops were embarked on transports and 
after getting well out to sea, our orders were 
opened, and we then learned that our destina- 
tion was Roanoke Island, North Carolina, which 
was then garrisoned by the Confederate troops. 
We were to pass through Hatteras Inlet into 



6 



Albemarle Sound. Before reaching Hatteras 
we encountered a terrific storm, which disabled 
many of the transports and made it most uncom- 
fortable for the soldiers, who were crowded in 
" between decks" of the vessels and suffered 
much from seasickness. After getting inside 
the Sound the water was shallow and calm, but 
the storm had lowered the water so much on the 
bar that the larger vessels could not proceed, 
and we were all detained here for more than a 
week. 

Finally, on the 7th of February, we all got 
over the bar and then proceeded towards Roa- 
noke Island. Our regiment was on the two 
steamers, Guide and Vidette, my company being 
on the latter vessel. As we neared Roanoke, 
the companies on the Vidette were transferred 
to the Guide, but this made the latter vessel draw 
so much water that when we were about a mile 
from the Island she grounded and all efforts to 
get her off were futile. The other troops passed 
us and landed that night, and sent out their 
pickets. Early on the morning of the 8th a 
smaller steamer was sent to us and by making 



two or three trips in this, we at last all safely 
reached the shore. As we were landing we 
heard the brisk fire of musketry and the slower 
fire of the cannon, and realized that a battle was 
on and that we should soon be actors in it. The 
regiment was soon formed on the beach and then 
the order was given " Right face, march ! " and 
we marched up the country road in column of 
fours in the direction of the firing. Soon we 
met wounded men going to the rear and after 
this the dead and dying were seen lying where 
they fell, — this their first and last fight. It was 
a terrible sight, but not a man flinched ; many 
faces were pale, but there was a look of deter- 
mination to do or die on all these. Soon we 
heard the cheers of a charge and in a moment 
we came in sight of the rebel breastworks and 
saw our bluecoats going over them. 

We marched through these earthworks and 
halted, when General Foster and staff rode up 
to our colonel and gave him orders to follow up 
the retreating rebels. The organization of the 
other regiments was somewhat destroyed and we 
rushed after the enemy and went some two miles 



before we overtook them at their camp on the 
east side of the Island. 

They sent out a flag of truce and asked for 
terms of surrender. General Foster sent back 
word that the terms must be unconditional sur- 
render, which, after a short parley, was accepted 
and we marched in and took possession of their 
arms. Some twenty-five hundred of them sur- 
rendered to about eight hundred of our regiment 
and none of the other troops were nearer than 
two miles at the time. 

General Burnside's troops remained on Roa- 
noke Island until the middle of March. Then 
all but a small force re-embarked on the trans- 
ports and we soon learned our destination was 
Newbern. We landed some seventeen miles 
below the city and marched up to within one 
thousand yards of a long line of the rebel en- 
trenchments, where we went into bivouac. My 
company (F) was detailed for picket, and all that 
night we kept a vigilant watch for the enemy 
and got no sleep. Early in the morning a squad 
of the enemy's cavalry came out of their works 
to reconnoitre and ran right into our pickets 



who fired on them and drove them back. Then 
our whole regiment was ordered to fall in, and 
with Colonel Stevenson at our head, we marched 
down the road, filed off to the right into a field, 
and then came the order, " By the left flank, 
march ! " and we were in line of battle, march- 
ing towards the enemy's works, which were soon 
in sight. We were halted some three hundred 
yards from their entrenchments at the edge of a 
wood, and then came the order " Lie down, fire 
at will, commence firing," and there was a blaze 
of musketry all along our regimental front, so 
rapid and so telling that the Confederates did 
not dare show their heads above their entrench- 
ments, which were only two hundred and fifty to 
three hundred yards from us. They had a light 
battery opposite our left wing and these guns 
fired grape and canister at us, doing considera- 
ble damage. The firing continued for two hours 
and some forty of our men and officers were 
killed and wounded. 

At last Colonel Stevenson gave the order to 
charge and we sprang to our feet and rushed 
pell-mell for the enemy's works. They turned 



IO 



and fled, and we were in possession of their line. 
The other regiments charged at the same time 
and we were the conquerors of the field, feeling 
that inexpressible joy of victory that cannot be 
realized by those who have never experienced 
it. We followed the retreating rebels into and 
through the streets of Newbern, but they ran 
faster than we did and we made but few prison- 
ers. We occupied their tents that night and a 
tired lot of soldiers we were, as may well be 
imagined when one thinks what we had gone 
through during the preceding forty-eight hours. 
Many of our men (I was one of the number) 
were in the hospital with typhoid fever before 
the end of a week, and there I remained for 
three weeks, so sick that I never could remember 
anything that happened during that time. When 
I was able to get out I was so reduced I could 
scarcely stand on my feet, but I crawled around 
our camp for two weeks more, when my strength 
returned and I went on regular duty. The 
24th's next encounter with the Confederates was 
at Kinston, then Whitehall, then Goldsboro; all 
three of these battles were Federal successes, 



II 



although no great advantage was gained over 
the enemy. In June of this year (1862) I was 
commissioned Captain and was given command 
of Co. I. I was then twenty-one years old. I 
had as my 1st Lieutenant James A. Perkins, son 
of William Perkins of Boston. Lieutenant Per- 
kins was a Harvard graduate, a splendid officer 
and as fine a man in every respect as we had in 
the regiment. He was afterwards killed at the 
charge on the rebel rifle-pits in front of Fort 
Wagner on Morris Island. 

In the Autumn of 1862 we went with Gen- 
eral Foster's troops to the Department of the 
South, embarking on transports at Beaufort, and 
landing at Hilton Head two days later. From 
here we went to Seabrook Island, which proved 
to be a very sickly place and half the regiment 
were taken down with malarial fever; I was 
among these and again went to the hospital. 
There I hovered between life and death and 
when I began to get better and was able to be 
moved, I was given a leave of absence of thirty 
days and was put on a transport bound for New 
York. I had my colored servant with me and 



13 



he carried me in his arms from the ship to an 
ambulance in New York and from the ambulance 
to the Boston train, and again at Jamaica Plain 
from cars to depot wagon and from depot wagon 
to a comfortable bed in my mother's house, over- 
looking Jamaica Pond. With the loving care of 
a devoted mother and sisters, I soon commenced 
to improve, but it was two months before I was 
sufficiently recovered to go back to the army, 
remaining in Jamaica Plain during July and 
August of 1863. During this time occurred the 
fight at Aldie and the battle of Gettysburg. 
From the first, my brother-in-law, Capt. L. Man- 
lius Sargent of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, 
came home, wounded in the breast by a pistol 
ball, and from the battle of Gettysburg came my 
brother Will, Captain in the 16th Massachusetts 
Volunteers, wounded by a case shot which burst 
over his head and sent one bullet through one 
hand and another through the other wrist. So 
that at this time there were in my mother's house 
two of her sons and one son-in-law, wounded and 
sick; truly the house was like an army hospital. 
We all went back to the army. Captain, after- 



13 

wards Lieutenant-Colonel Sargent was killed in 
December, 1864, at Bellfield, Virginia. I was 
captured in the mine explosion in front of 
Petersburg, and my older brother Tom, who 
was colonel of the 17th Massachusetts Volun- 
teers, was stricken with yellow fever at Beaufort, 
North Carolina, and died in December, 1864. 
These casualties were terrible blows for my dear 
mother, and the anxiety for her soldier boys 
during the four years of the war brought on 
heart trouble, from which she died in the year 
1 8 76. Our veneration and love for our mother 
was almost like worship; she was everything a 
mother should be and at the same time a very 
strong, high and noble character. 

After I left my regiment at Seabrook Island, 
it was ordered with the other troops to Morris 
Island and our brigade was held in reserve in 
the first attack on Battery Wagner, where Col. 
Robert G. Shaw of the 54th Massachusetts was 
killed and where our forces under General Gil- 
more were unsuccessful. When I rejoined them, 
Gilmore had commenced to lay siege to Wagner, 
and three parallels and a number of covered ways 



had been thrown up, and I found the troops hard 
at work digging trenches. Morris Island was a 
low sandy island, with scarcely any vegetation 
on it, except in the swamps, and there only the 
swamp grass; but it protected the entrance to 
Charleston Harbor and was of much value to 
the Confederates for this reason. 

One evening towards the last of August, 
1863, the 24th was ordered to fall in, in regi- 
mental line, with forty rounds of cartridges in 
our cartridge boxes. The officers were then 
summoned by the colonel and were told what 
was expected of the regiment. In front, about 
one hundred and fifty yards from Wagner and 
about one hundred yards from our advanced 
parallel, on a little rising ground, was a line of 
rebel rifle-pits, from which the enemy greatly 
annoyed our working parties. These pits our 
division commander, General Terry, was very 
desirous of capturing, and he had selected the 
24th to make the attempt. The siege guns were 
to open a furious bombardment on the fort for 
about an hour and then from a tower in the rear 
of our works we were to get a certain signal, 



i5 



upon receiving which we were to rush over our 

works and charge on the rifle-pits, and turn them 

by digging into an advanced parallel of our own. 

All of this we did, as is told by the following 

letter of a private of the regiment to his friends 

at home; which letter was dated Aug. 27, 1863, 

and appeared in the Boston Evening 'Transcript of 

Sept. 8, 1863, as follows: — 

" Perhaps, ere you get this, you may have 
read in the papers about the charge made by the 
24th yesterday afternoon, on the rifle-pits within 
one hundred yards of Fort Wagner. In these 
pits were the rebel sharpshooters, about twenty- 
five yards from our outer siege works, said works 
having been advanced slowly but surely towards 
Wagner, driving the sharpshooters as we ad- 
vanced. These particular pits on which we 
charged had been tried four or five times, but 
our forces had been driven back. At one time 
three regiments tried it. Yesterday afternoon 
about four o'clock, the 24th was ordered to fall 
in on the beach as quickly as possible. Many 
were the conjectures as to where we were going. 
Some thought on picket, but as we were not 
told to bring any rations with us, that seemed 
unlikely. Some thought to charge on Wagner, 
some one thing and some another. We formed 
line, extra cartridges were given out, the officers 
were called to the front and General Stevenson 



i6 



gave them their orders. An alteration was then 
made in the regimental line, six men from Com- 
pany A and our orderly, another sergeant and 
myself, were put with Company I, Captain 
Amory. We were then formed in the advance, 
Company A's men being formed a little way 
behind us, then the rest of the regiment. Lieu- 
tenant Sweet was put in command of Company 
A, then we were told where we were going. 
Company I and those of Company A who were 
in it, were to go forward to our outer works, on 
the left of the rebel works, and, at the order, 
charge on the pits. Then Company A was to 
come up, each man armed with his gun and two 
shovels, and were to commence shovelling imme- 
diately — throw up breastworks — using his mus- 
ket when necessary, and were to be supported by 
the rest of the regiment. 

" Well, we reached our outer works, our 
regiment moved off to the right, and Company 
I, in which I was, went to the left. We lay 
behind our entrenchments awaiting orders to 
charge. Captain Amory and Captain Redding of 
Company A were with us. The former told us to 
be sure and keep together — to rush forward at top 
speed, each man to yell at the top of his voice — 
that it was death to stand still — that the surest 
way was to keep on and if any man dropped, to 
let him lay where he fell until the thing was over. 
That no doubt it might be taken without the 
loss of a single man, did we advance boldly and 



'7 

quickly ; that the enemy, being taken so suddenly 
by surprise, would no doubt run — to remember 
and keep up the honor of the company and regi- 
ment. We reconnoitered and found out the 
direction of the pits from where we were. Soon 
came the order to fix bayonets and do it noise- 
lessly. We did so and awaited the final word. 
When the order came, ' Charge ! Charge ! ' I 
sprang over the parapet and came into view of 
the enemy's rifle-pits. I made within myself a 
short, earnest prayer to God to forgive my sins, 
commended my soul to Him, and rushed forward 
yelling at the top of my voice. Whiz — whiz — 
whiz — whiz — whiz — whiz — came the rifle 
balls all about us. All passed in a moment. 
We reached the pits ; there, sure enough, were 
the rebels, some running towards Wagner, others 
running into our lines, willing prisoners, others 
shot on the ground. We fired after them. A 
moment after up rushed the remainder of our 
regiment. 

" The shovellers threw down their pieces and 
fell to work shovelling like mad. We all then 
formed to support them in line of battle. Then 
came grape and canister from Wagner all about 
us. Lieutenant Perkins of Company I and Pri- 
vate Spooner of same company were instantly 
killed and, as near as I can learn, three more in 
Company E and some other company were 
killed and six wounded. Captains Redding and 
Amory headed the charge of our little detach- 



i8 



ment and did nobly, in fact so did all our officers 
and men. The 24th has done a big thing. 
Colonel Osborne headed the regiment, sword in 
hand. I can tell you such shovelling as these 
men did would astonish you. In less than 
twenty minutes, a breastwork fifteen feet in 
height was thrown up, then we sat down, gun 
in hand, keeping men at the top to watch for 
shells and any force seen approaching. 

About 9 p.m. a regiment of colored troops 
came up and continued our ditch to our works. 
Soon it commenced to rain ; we had been wet 
through with perspiration, and now, chilled and 
soaked completely by the drenching storm, we 
were in a miserable plight. To crown all, Forts 
Wagner, Johnson and Gregg sent solid shot, 
shell, grape and canister, shrapnel and rifle balls 
into us, and some of our own batteries fell short 
of the mark, and sent their shot and shell about 
us. It was a terrific scene ; a regiment of men 
sitting in a ditch at night, a thunder storm rag- 
ing, raining in torrents, and the continual roar 
of the thunder and explosion of shells, the 
whistling of solid shot, the horrible shriek of 
grape and canister all about us, and no one hit, 
— truly it was wonderful. But God has been 
merciful. I am uninjured, and not a man of 
Company A has been struck. After sitting in 
the parallels until 12 o'clock, the 87th Ohio 
relieved us, and glad were we to get back to 
camp." 



19 

A month later, plans were made for a night 
assault on Fort Wagner. We were formed on 
the beach, our regiment was to charge up the 
beach and attack the fort from the rear, while 
other troops were to charge in front. On our 
march up to take position, we were met by a 
deserter who told us that the Confederates had 
been advised of our contemplated attack, and 
had evacuated the fort, so we marched up and 
took possession. This gave us Morris Island, 
but not Charleston, which the enemy held for 
another year. 

Morris Island was another unhealthy place, 
and all the troops suffered severely from malarial 
fever. Our regiment and the ioth Connecticut 
were ordered to St. Augustine, Florida, and my 
Company (I) and two others garrisoned old Fort 
Marion for three months. Then an order came 
from the War Department about re-enlistments. 
Over fifty men of my company re-enlisted for 
three years more, and we all went home on a 
veteran furlough of a month. This was in Feb- 
ruary, 1864. When the thirty days were up, we 
went to Gloucester Point, Virginia, where we 



20 

were joined by the rest of the regiment, and 
formed part of General Butler's army, destined 
for the expedition up the James River. 

I was detailed Acting Assistant Adjutant- 
General on the staff of Col. H. M. Plaisted of 
the nth Maine, commanding the brigade. The 
expedition steamed up the James River on trans- 
ports, and landed at City Point, and afterwards 
at Bermuda Hundred, where we threw up 
entrenchments. When everything was ready we 
marched up to Drewry's Bluff, and after a sharp 
skirmish captured the advanced works of the 
enemv. 

On the morning of the 16th of May, the rebels 
came out of their works, and during a dense fog, 
broke through the right of our line, which was 
composed of a thin line of cavalry, and forced 
our right back in some confusion, capturing 
many of the 27th Massachusetts Regiment. 

Our brigade was on the extreme left, and 
when the right retreated we were ordered back 
to form a new line. As we were executing this 
movement, the enemy in our front swarmed over 
the breastworks and poured volley after volley 



21 



into our ranks. Colonel Osborne handled the 
24th with great coolness and bravery, faced them 
about, and poured such showers of bullets into 
the ranks of the enemy that they turned back 
and went pell-mell into their works again, and we 
were not troubled by them any more that day. 
We retired leisurely to our own works at Ber- 
muda Hundred, which we reached about dusk, 
well tired out but not demoralized. Our expe- 
dition was a failure ; we had hoped to take Rich- 
mond, but we were doomed to disappointment. 
Gen. Thos. G. Stevenson, at this time, was com- 
manding a division in the 9th Army Corps, 
Army of the Potomac, and had succeeded in 
having me commissioned Captain and Assistant 
Adjutant-General of Volunteers, and I was to go 
upon his staff; but, at the battle of Spottsyl- 
vania, which took place about the same time as 
our attack on Drewry's Bluff, he was killed, and 
I was left without a position. But Gen. W. F. 
Bartlett, being without an Adjutant-General, 
applied for me, and I was assigned to his staff. 
His brigade was in the 9th Corps, and I joined 
him in June, 1864. 



22 



On the 30th of July, 1864, was fought the 
battle of the Crater, before Petersburg, and this 
proved another sad reverse to our arms. In the 
fight of the 17th and 18th of June, the 9th Corps 
pushed forward to within one hundred and thirty 
yards of the Confederate main entrenchments, 
and threw up breastworks that were afterwards 
made very strong. 

A portion of this line was directly opposite a 
rebel fort, which was known as Elliot's Salient, 
on the Confederates' front. Colonel Pleasants 
of the 48th Pennsylvania was a mining engineer 
from the coal fields of that State, and most of his 
men were miners. He thought it feasible to run 
a mine under this fort of the enemy, and to blow 
it up. He told his plan to General Burnside, 
the Commander of the 9th Corps, and the Gen- 
eral approved it. 

The mine was completed about the 25th of 
July and was charged with 8,000 pounds of 
powder. General Burnside's plan was to explode 
the mine in the early morning, and then one 
division was to charge over the open space made 
by the explosion, wheel to the right and to the 



2 3 

left, and clear the rebel works as far as they 
could. The next division was to go straight 
through the gap, and to advance to a ridge some 
three hundred yards in rear of the enemy's main 
line, and be reinforced as rapidly as possible by 
other troops. General Meade opposed this plan 
and referred it to General Grant, who agreed with 
him that the advanced division should move right 
forward to the crest, and orders were given 
accordingly. The ist Division, under command 
of General Ledley, composed of two brigades 
commanded by General Bartlett, and Colonel 
Marshall of the 14th New York Heavy Artillery, 
was selected as the leading division. 

On the evening of July 29, this division was 
ordered to fall in, and at 12 o'clock, midnight, we 
marched to our position immediately in front of 
the fort that was to be blown up. We remained 
here till five o'clock in the morning, when the 
mine was exploded. It was a terrible sight which 
I shall never forget. Great masses of earth, gun 
carriages and men were blown some thirty feet 
into the air, with a noise from the explosion that 
was deafening. The order to charge was given. 



2 4 

and the two brigades sprang forward and were 
soon in what is now called the Crater, a great hole 
some twenty feet deep and two hundred by one 
hundred feet across. Many dead Confederates 
were lying about, some of them half covered with 
the debris. In fact, there was nothing but a leg 
or arm here and there to show that under the 
earth were the remainder of the bodies of men. 

Our troops were considerably broken up by 
the charge, but we pressed forward and captured 
some hundred prisoners. Then the commanding 
officers got their men together, and a line was 
endeavored to be formed to charge the crest. 
By this time the enemy had recovered from their 
surprise and fright, and from their works to the 
right and left poured volleys into the backs of 
our men. This was more than any troops could 
stand, and our men fell back to the Crater. 

General Bartlett ordered me to collect the 
men and place them on the crest of the Crater, 
and to fire on any of the enemy that showed 
themselves. This I did, but the enemy had begun 
to use their artillery, and poured grape and can- 
ister into us, killing and wounding many. Our 



25 

men, when shot, would roll to the bottom of the 
pit, and there dead and dying lay in a horrible 
pile. Soon other divisions commenced to advance 
from our works, and to make the attempt of gain- 
ing the crest of the hill in the Confederate's rear, 
but were not successful. 

The fight continued till two o'clock in the 
afternoon. The enemy made two or three unsuc- 
cessful charges on our position, but were repulsed 
each time. They, however, moved close up to 
us, so close that for half an hour before their last 
charge, the Confederate flag was waving within 
twenty feet from where one hundred and fifty of 
us were lying under cover of the crest of the 
Crater. Then from the rear, a whole division of 
them (Mahone's) in a long line swept down and 
over us, and occupied their former line. We 
were told to go to the rear and report, and this we 
did. General Bartlett had his cork leg shattered 
by a shot, and he went off the field with one arm 
around my neck and the other around the neck 
of Lieutenant Reed of the 57th Massachusetts. 

Our loss in this fight was severe. Every 
commanding officer of the different regiments 



26 



of our brigade was either killed, wounded or 
taken prisoner. That night we slept in an open 
field near Petersburg, and the next morning 
were put in box cars and taken to Danville. 

The battle of the Crater was a great disaster 
to the Union side. Our men fought bravely, 
but one curious thing about it was the absence 
of officers of high rank ; even the Division 
Commanders allowed their commands to go in, 
while they remained behind in our own entrench- 
ments and sent their orders out to their Brigade 
Commanders to do what was impossible for 
any troops to do. The 5th and 18th Corps, 
which were on the right and left of the 9th, 
took no part in the fight, although those in 
the 5th Corps could see the rebel troops when 
they were withdrawn from their front and 
marched to the right, where the fighting was 
going on. 

My opinion is, that if General Burnside had 
been allowed to carry out his plan of clearing 
the enemy's works to the right and left of the 
Crater before making the charge on Cemetery 
Hill, the result would have been different. 



2 7 

I was captured with General Bartlett, on this 
my twenty-third birthday, and was taken with 
some hundred other captured officers to Colum- 
bia, South Carolina, where we were put into the 
county jail, and had a very severe experience. 
The jail was filthy, our food was disgusting, and 
as I look back on those weary days, I wonder 
how we all stood the treatment as well as we did. 
There was much sickness ; our thoughts were all 
for exchange or escape, and many were the plans 
made for the latter. 

A number succeeded at various times in get- 
ting away, but about nine out of every ten were 
recaptured and brought back. In January, when 
Sherman advanced on Columbia, the Confederate 
authorities, to prevent our falling into his hands, 
sent us to Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Here we were placed in a field, with a line of 
sentries around the camp. One dark night, a 
fellow-prisoner, Captain Hoppin of the 2d Massa- 
chusetts Heavy Artillery, and I crawled into a 
ditch that ran between the sentries down into 
a swamp. We passed the sentries without their 
seeing us, and floundered about in this wooded 



28 



swamp, where the mud and water came above 
our knees, till we at last reached the railroad, 
which ran west out of Charlotte. Then our 
travelling was easy, and we pushed on some ten 
miles until we saw the day breaking in the east, 
and were warned that we must find some place 
in which we might hide. 

We left the railroad, and travelled off into an 
old field that evidently had run out and was too 
poor to cultivate, hid ourselves in a low clump of 
trees and bushes, and began our first meal since 
our freedom. We had left the prison with one 
loaf of bread and six raw onions, and we munched 
on them and felt less hungry, but hardly satisfied. 
During the day we heard negroes in the woods 
near us chopping wood and singing, and we 
determined that as soon as night came we would 
find them and get them to help us on to where 
we might once more be under the old flag. 

As soon as it was dark we started, and after 
stumbling along over broken ground covered 
with old stumps for about a mile, suddenly came 
upon a negro cabin, which we could plainly see 
by the light from the window. We did not hesi- 



2 9 

tate, but walked right up to the door and knocked. 
A negro man came to the door; we told him we 
were escaped prisoners, that we were hungry and 
wanted something to eat; that Sherman would 
soon be along that way, and that we wanted him 
to hide us till Sherman came. 

The man asked us in, gave us some bread and 
sweet potatoes, and said he would be glad to hide 
us, but that he was afraid, as there were many of 
the white people near him who might find us, 
and if they did, it would go hard with him. After 
talking with him for some time, he agreed to go 
with us to a plantation some five miles away, 
where he said he thought we might hide, as there 
was no white man on the place, and that the 
colored people would do what they could for us. 
We joyfully accepted his offer, and after walking 
about five miles arrived at the place, and were 
hid in an old house used for storing corn fodder. 
This house had been occupied by the overseer, 
who had been murdered in it, and it had the 
reputation of being haunted, so that no one would 
live in it and it was fast tumbling to pieces. It 
was built on the corner of two country roads, 



3Q 

and we were hid in the attic of it for some six 
days ; we kept very close during the daytime, but 
at night we would go out, and go down to a brook 
near by and wash our faces and hands. Some- 
one of the darkeys would come to us every even- 
ing and bring us something to eat, and sometimes 
a newspaper that would tell us of the movements 
of Sherman's army. As soon as we found that 
Sherman had marched to the east of us in the 
direction of Raleigh, and that Beauregard's army 
was between us and Sherman, we decided that 
the thing for us to do was to start west and try 
to find General Thomas's army, then marching 
through East Tennessee for Lynchburg. 

I shall never forget the beauties of the moun- 
tain laurel, then in full bloom, nor the clear 
refreshing water bubbling from the mountain 
springs, so different from the tepid, tasteless 
fluid furnished us in the Southern prisons. 

This trip took us over the Blue Ridge and 
Alleghany Mountains. We crossed Mt. Mitchell 
and a spur of Bald Mountain, and found our 
pickets at Greenville, East Tennessee, on the 28th 
of March, 1865, five weeks from the time we 



3i 

made our escape. We were very ragged and 
dirty, still having on the clothes we were captured 
in seven months before. 

Our escape from Charlotte was on Sunday, 
the 19th of February. I had a small pocket diary 
with me, and I find the following short entries 
of each day we were making our escape: — 

Monday, Feb. 20, 1865. 

We made only six miles last night. Hid during the 
day in a ravine about a mile from the railroad. Decided 
to push for Providence and wait there for Sherman. 

Tuesday, Feb. 21, 1865. 

We crossed Sugar Creek last night and reached Kil- 
patrick's plantation, where the darkeys gave us a supper 
and piloted us to Laura Ross's plantation, where we hid in 
a deserted house. 

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 1865. 

We laid in the woods day and night. We intended to 
start for Cheraw at dusk, but our negro guides disap- 
pointed us. 

Thursday, Feb. 23, 1865. 

We passed the day in the haunted house and the night 
in a negro cabin. Could see from our hiding place the 



32 

planters running away their slaves and stock to prevent 
their falling into the hands of General Sherman. 

Saturday, Feb. 2J, 1865. 

Wet, stormy and cold. Suffering very much from the 
horrid weather. Passed the day hid in the attic of the 
haunted house and the night in a negro cabin. 

Sunday, Feb. 26, i86j. 

Weather cleared at noon much to our delight. Heard 
that Sherman's men arrived at Lancaster last night, driving 
out the rebel pickets. 

Monday, Feb. 27, 1863. 

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Sherman. 
Negroes report the white people terribly frightened. 

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 1865. 

We passed the day in the haunted house. It looks 
now as if Sherman would pass east of Charlotte, and that 
we must follow him. Have seen squads of rebel cavalry 
today passing our hiding place. They are ragged and 
dirty, some of them mounted on mules. Raining again. 

Wednesday, March 1, 1863. 

Cold rain. At noon black Saul came running to us 
with the news, which afterwards proved to be false, that 
we had been betrayed and that the white people were com- 



33 

ing for us, and that we must run. Took to the woods 
where we remained till dark, wet and cold, and dreading 
return to captivity. 

Thursday, March 2, 1865. 

In our hiding place in the attic of the haunted house. 
The rebel quartermaster, with a squad of soldiers, backed 
his teams up to the house today, and loaded up with the 
corn fodder stored on the first floor. We feared every 
moment that his men would come into the attic and find 
us, but they did not. 

Friday, March 3, 1865. 

Still storming. The roads are in a terrible condition, 
and travelling is almost impossible. Took supper with 
free Bob. 

Saturday, March 4, 1865. 

Raining. We have given up the idea of Sherman's 
coming this way, and have decided to start for Munroe, 
where we hear he is. 

Sunday, March 5, 1865. 

Started for Munroe last night, but when we got within 
twelve miles of it, heard through the negroes that Sher- 
man's troops had evacuated it, and that the country was 
full of rebel soldiers. Started back, but crept into a shuck 



34 



house towards morning and got a short nap. Made for 
the woods just before daybreak and hid during day. 

Monday, March 6, 1865. 
Started back for our haunted house at dusk, and 
reached it before day. Weather clearing. 

Tuesday, March 7, i86j. 
Talked with Captain Hoppin about what was best to 
be done. The rebel army seems to be between us and 
Sherman, and we have about decided that our best plan is 
to start west and try to join General Thomas's army, which 
we hear is at Greenville, Tenn. We have found a colored 
boy, who says he will show us the way as far as King's 
Mountain, and that we can get a guide there. 

Wednesday, March 8, 1865. 
Raining again. Had day been fine we should have 
started for Tennessee, but it is no use starting in such 
terrible weather. 

Thursday, March 9, i86j. 
Started for Greenville at night, but found Sugar Creek 
so swollen that we could not cross and so had to return to 
Ross's. Weather clearing. 

Saturday, March 11, 1865. 
Hid in haunted house all day and night. Weather 
clear and cold. 



35 



Sunday, March 12, 1865. 
Started again for East Tennessee. Crossed little 
Sugar Creek, and towards morning came to Boyce's plan- 
tation, where a negro hid us in a shuck house and brought 
us some bread and sweet potatoes. 

Monday, March 13, 1863. 
At dusk started for Catawba River. Found rebel 
sentries on bridge, but our negro guide took vis down the 
river a mile, stole a rowboat in which we crossed to the 
west side just before day, and then went to Dr. McClain's 
negro quarters and hid. 

Tuesday, March 14, 1865. 
Laid by during the day in a shuck house. At dark 
started again, and struck for King's Mountain, going as far 
as Henry Johnson's plantation, fourteen miles. 

Wednesday, March 13, 1863. 
Left Henry Johnson's at dusk, and by daylight reached 
Ore Mine on the further side of King's Mountain. A 
hard tramp. 

Thursday, March 16, 1863. 

Feel tired out. Hid in a deserted cabin during the 
day. At night our guide took us to Mrs. Mayfair, a poor 
white woman, half demented, only one room in the house, 
served for kitchen, sitting-room and bedroom. Captain 
Hoppin and I in one bed, Mrs. Mayfair in the other. 
Slept like tops. 



36 



Friday, March 17, 1863. 
Passed the day in a pine grove. Started in the even- 
ing for Rntherfordton with our guide, and made twenty- 
six miles by daylight. The first pleasant day this week. 

Saturday, March 18, 1865. 
Started at dusk and had a Jiard march of sixteen miles 
to Rutherfordton. Lost our way and laid by in the woods 
till Sunday night. 

Sunday, March ig, 1865. 
We made but five miles tonight, stopping at negro 
Jim's house. Slept in a corn-shuck house. Feel pretty 
well used up. 

Monday, March 20, 1865. 

Hid in the woods during the day. During the night 
made Anderson's, a white man. There we were taken 
good care of till Tuesday night. 

Tuesday, March 21, 1863. 
Stayed with Anderson during day. At dark started 
again and made Sam Elliot's house where we put up. 

Wednesday, March 22, 1863. 
Started from Elliot's at 9 a.m., and crossed Meady 
Patch Mountain. Went as far as Bert Murphy's, where 
we put up. A Confederate deserter joined us, and is going 
through to Greenville with us. 



37 



Thursday, March 23, 1865. 

Left Murphy's at 7 a.m., went as far as Swananoa 

settlement, and then hid in the woods till dark, when we 

started again and walked to the foot of Black Mountain, 

where we camped. Light snow. We are ten miles north 

of Asheville. 

Friday, March 24, 1863. 

Started at 7 this morning, and went over Black Moun- 
tain, six miles to top and down on the other side six miles 
to Tom Wilson's, where we passed the night. Hardest 
day's tramp yet. 

Saturday, March 23, 1863. 

Left Tom Wilson's at 9 a.m., and travelled fifteen 
miles to Hugh Mcintosh's, where we put up. Came very 
near being captured today by a squad of rebel cavalry, 
known as Teag's Detail. 

Sunday, March 26, 1865. 
Left Mcintosh's early this morning, and crossing a 
spur of the Bald Mountain, passed through Indian Creek 
Settlement into Laurel, where we passed the night. 

Monday, March 2j, 1865. 
Left Laurel in the morning and crossed Bird's Bridge, 
arrived within two miles of Greenville at 1 1 p.m., and 
then, thinking it prudent not to be stopped by a picket in 
the dark, went into the woods and passed the remainder of 
the night there. 



33 



Tuesday, March 28, 1865. 
This morning, after a short walk, struck our pickets 
just outside Greenville. Took breakfast with Major Reeves 
of a Union Tennessee regiment. We are again under the 
old flag. God be praised. 



We received a leave of absence of thirty days 
to recruit in, and at the end of that time, Rich- 
mond was captured, General Lee had surrendered, 
the war was at an end and I resigned my com- 
mission as Captain and Assistant-Adjutant Gen- 
eral, United States Volunteers, and thus ended 
my army life. 

I add here a copy of a letter from General 
Bartlett to Mr. Stanton, Secretary of War, which 
gave me a commission as Brevet Major. 



39 

Official Copy — Date Dec. 28, i8gy. 

Boston, Oct. 3, 1S65. 

To the Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War. 

Sir : I desire to recommend most earnestly and par- 
ticularly, that a brevet be conferred on Captain Chas. B. 
Amory, late A.A.-G., U.S. Vols, (son of Jonathan Amory, 
Esq., of this city), for distinguished gallantry at the explo- 
sion of the mine in front of Petersburg, July 30, 1864. 
His conduct on that day was gallant in the extreme, and 
his services of the greatest value in rallying the broken troops 
after I was disabled. He has lately been mustered out 
upon his resignation after his return from imprisonment. 
I most respectfully request that the brevet of Major date 
from that day, July 30, 1S64. 

Very respectfully, 

Your obd. svt., 

W. F. BARTLETT, 
Brevet Major- Gen., U.S. V. 

Indorsement. 
Approved. 

U. S. GRANT, 

Lieutenant- General. 

Headquarters Army U.S., 
Oct. 10, 1865. 



4 1 

The following is a list of the officers of the 
Twenty-fourth Regiment at the time of leaving 
the State for the seat of war, and is taken from 
the report of the Adjutant-General of Massachu- 
setts for the year ending Dec. 31, 1861. 



FIELD AND STAFF. 

Colonel Thomas G. Stevenson, Boston. 

Lieutenant-Colonel . Francis A. Osborn, Boston. 

Major Robert H. Stevenson. 

Adjutant John F. Anderson, Boston. 

Quartermaster . . . William V. Hutchings, Boston. 

Surgeon Samuel A. Green, Boston. 

Assistant Surgeon . . Hall Curtis, Boston. 

Chaplain W. R. G. Mellen, Gloucester. 

Sergeant-Major . . F. W. Loring, Boston. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant, James Thompson. 

Commissary Sergeant, P. E. Wheeler. 

Hospital Steward . . John H. McGregor. 

Wardmaster . . . Benjamin H. Mann. 

Bandmaster . . . . P. S. Gilmore. 



4 2 

CAPTAINS. 

Charles H. Hooper, Boston. 
William F. Redding, Boston. 
Edward C. Richardson, Boston. 
John C. Maker, Boston. 
John T. Prince, Jr., Boston. 
George F. Austin, Salem. 
Robert F. Clark, Boston. 
J. Lewis Stackpole, Cambridge. 
John Daland, Salem. 
William Pratt, Boston. 



FIRST LIEUTENANTS. 

George W. Gardner, Salem. 
Charles B. Amory, West Roxbury. 
James B. Bell, Cambridge. 
Charles A. Folsom, Boston. 
James B. Nichols, Salem. 
John N. Partridge, Boston. 
Albert Ordway, Cambridge. 
James A. Perkins, Boston. 
James H. Turner, Boston. 
Mason A. Rea, Boston. 



43 

SECOND LIEUTENANTS. 

William L. Horton, Roxbury. 
Thomas F. Edmands, Boston. 
John C. Jones, Jr., West Roxbury. 
Nathaniel S. Barstow, Boston. 
Daniel T. Sargent, Boston. 
Charles G. Ward, Boston. 
Thomas M. Sweet, Boston. 
James M. Barnard, Boston. 
Horatio D. Jarvis, Boston. 
Deming Jarves, Jr.,, Boston. 



I AdoQ 

39tt' 
X09 3 




